Artist Statement: Africa is a beautiful and majestic land, rich with lush plant-life and magnificent animals. The animals play a huge part in African culture, and their symbolism can be found throughout countless pieces of art. Each animal has a specific meaning and signifies a certain quality or characteristic. Ancient African creation stories tell of Mangala, the creator God, planting seeds in the cosmic womb. From these seeds two fish erupted, and were set forth into the cosmos upon the waters of creation. We see from this African creation story, illustrated in this Tribal Mask, the symbolic meaning of fish deals with creation by embodying a new phase of initial life.
The cross is symbolic of Jesus, the Son of God imbued with all the Deity of God the Father. Several times in the Bible Jesus is plainly noted as the Creator. Speaking of Jesus, Colossians 1:15-16 says this: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." In John 1:1-3 we read: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made." John says all things were made through Jesus, acknowledging Him as Creator.